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Glasgow Homelessness Projects Get Sleep Out Boost

Fri 8th September 2017

Two new homeless projects in our city will receive a major boost from the Foundation this season thanks to our Big Ibrox Sleep Outs.

We’re delighted to announce that Glasgow City Mission’s Housing First initiative, and the Simon Community Scotland’s Street Cycles project are set to benefit and aim to make a significant impact on homelessness in our city.

Our Big Ibrox Sleep Out event on Friday 1 December is now sold out but you can still take part on Thursday 30 November or Saturday 2 December and do your bit to help these fantastic new projects by signing up here.

We are now in our third season working with Glasgow City Mission as one of our community partners and have donated over £87,000 in support of projects such the Evening Drop-in Service and Winter Night Shelter, paying for 17,000 hot meals, advocacy work and two extra months of the shelter.

This season, we will build on that legacy by supporting Glasgow City Mission’s new Housing First project, which is turning traditional solutions to homeless accommodation on their head in a bid to break the destructive cycle of homelessness.

Glasgow City Mission is purchasing 10 flats across the city and will use them to house some of the most vulnerable and hardest to reach homeless people. The Foundation will raise funds to decorate and furnish these flats via our Big Ibrox Sleep Out events.

Currently people need to progress through different types of accommodation before they are deemed suitable and trustworthy to have their own permanent tenancy but Housing First will see people receive their house first and then be given the necessary wraparound support to sustain the tenancy.

The Sleep Outs will also support an innovative new project from the Simon Community Scotland called Street Cycles, an outreach service staffed by volunteers on bicycles.

The project hopes to support 1,300 rough sleepers in its first year, reaching out to the growing number of men and women sleeping rough out with the city centre, particularly in the south and west of Glasgow.

The Street Cycles team will be able to travel further than Simon Community Scotland’s existing Street Team and thanks to panniers fitted to the bikes, will be able to carry more essential items for rough sleepers, such as sleeping bags, clothing and food.

The Street Cycles team will be trained in first aid and will be able to offer rough sleepers information and advice on where to seek shelter, food and clothing and help from other agencies.

Proceeds from this season’s Big Ibrox Sleep Outs, which are sponsored by 32Red, will be split three ways between Glasgow City Mission, the Simon Community and the Rangers Charity Foundation’s.

Grant Campbell, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Mission commented: “In seven years of operating the Glasgow Winter Night Shelter, we have witnessed a number of people return each year seeking emergency accommodation after failed experiences with supported accommodation and being banned from other services. A radical new approach is needed if we are to see long-term vulnerable people exit the revolving door of homelessness. If we can see something of the success of Housing First from other parts in the world come to fruition in Glasgow, our city and its people can flourish once again. We are delighted to have the continued support from Rangers Charity Foundation which is helping to tackle homelessness in Glasgow in significant ways.”

Lorraine McGrath, Chief Executive of Simon Community Scotland, added: “We are extremely grateful and privileged to have this ongoing commitment from the Rangers Charity Foundation. The support is invaluable in enabling us to find new ways to reach more people and help them overcome the increasing challenges that the people we engage with experience.”

Rangers Charity Foundation Director Connal Cochrane commented: “Homelessness is a cause which has really resonated with our fans, who have been superb in their support of our Big Ibrox Sleep Outs. The events have been hugely successful over the last two years and have collectively raised more than £100,000 for causes connected to homelessness, so we are proud to be able to hold them again this season and build upon our legacy with these brand new projects.

“As well as raising funds for our own work in the community and these new partnership projects, we will also be aiming to raise the profile of our community partners and the issues surrounding homelessness over the course of the season.”